Nicole Murphy, Founder + CEO of Barter Black®, is reimagining what collaboration looks like for Black entrepreneurs. Based in Upper Marlboro, MD, Murphy created Barter Black® during the pandemic after witnessing how many Black-owned businesses struggled, not from lack of talent, but lack of access.
Barter Black® is the only bartering platform designed specifically for Black entrepreneurs, allowing members to trade products and services using Barter Bucks instead of cash. From legal support and marketing to graphic design and wellness services, members earn and spend Barter Bucks in a thriving ecosystem that protects cash flow while expanding opportunity.
But Murphy makes it clear: this isn’t just a marketplace. With a design patent on its first platform iteration, Barter Black® is building a new Black Wall Street powered by community and technology. Members gain access not just to barter, but also to grants, networking, business support, and wellness resources.
Murphy’s journey hasn’t been linear. She has paused, pivoted, and rebuilt Barter Black® with a trade credit system that finally feels right. Now, she’s preparing to launch the Barter Black® mobile app on February 5, 2026, and has opened a Crowdbartering campaign inviting creatives and professionals to contribute their skills to help scale the vision.
Her advice to fellow Black women entrepreneurs is simple yet powerful: “If your goal is to build a business that outlives you, then you have to start acting like it. Every day or every week, figure out what can operate without you.”
With Barter Black®, Murphy is doing exactly that; laying the foundation for a future where Black businesses don’t just survive, they build lasting wealth. To learn more and explore how you can barter with other Black entrepreneurs, visit barterblack.io.
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